And Now What
by signaliduna78
Summary: Alex and Izzie are forced to take two weeks off of work. And then what? A/I.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything you might recognize, I'm merely borrowing, so thanks for letting me._

__

A/N In this story, Alex and Izzie did not have those two weeks off in between their internship and residency. Set sometime after S3. No Ava though. And not much drama either…I figured there's enough of that in real life ;) Enjoy...

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Isobel Stevens couldn't help but feel a bit worried. The Chief had called her into his office for a meeting, and she could not fathom what it was about. She hadn't made any major mistakes lately, at least none that she was aware of. She hadn't gotten into any arguments, and she had not been caught doing the naughty naughty in any room whatsoever, on-call or not. Which is why she walked up to Patricia's desk with slight trepidation.

"Dr. Stevens, hi. The Chief will be with you in a second, ok? He's just finishing up a phone call," the secretary addressed her.

Izzie nodded her thanks and took a seat in one of those extremely uncomfortable plastic hospital chairs that had been placed opposite of Patricia's desk against the wall. She had never taken the time to look around this office, usually just passing it on her way into the Chief's. Now, with some time to spare, she noticed that three of the walls were painted a slight beige color, while the one facing Patricia was held in a warm chocolate brown. There were a couple of paintings and some pots with bamboo and another tree-ish type that she had no clue about. Recognizing the bamboo was already an achievement and about as far as her botanical knowledge went. She had never understood people's fascination with plants. Yeah, they were nice to look at, but as far as she was concerned, that was about it. Maybe she should broaden her vegetation-horizon one of these days. She'd heard of an amazing atrium at one of those 5 hotels in town. Maybe she could have a drink at the bar while looking at the greenery?

Her undoubtedly significant thought-process was interrupted by a knock on the door, then someone entering. Said person quickly glanced at her.

"What'd you do?" Alex.

She glared at him. "Nothing. What are _you_ doing here?"

Patricia interrupted them. "Dr. Karev, I'm glad you could make it in time, I know you just got out of surgery. The Chief will be with you guys shortly."

No sooner than the words had left her mouth, the door to Dr. Richard Webber's office opened. "Drs Stevens and Karev, I'm glad you're both here. Please come in." Izzie followed after Alex, closing the door behind her. They took their respective seats next to each other, looking up at their boss curiously. From the look on his face Alex obviously didn't know what this was about either. A somewhat comforting thought.

"Doctors, I'm sorry for calling this meeting at such short notice. Let's make it quick, ok? I'm sure you're both wondering what I wanted to see you about…," he paused. After getting a quick nod from both of his residents, he continued. "As I'm sure you know, all of our interns get two weeks off after finishing their internship, before their residencies start, right?" Again, affirming gestures from his doctors. "Well, the reason we couldn't give all of you that exact timeframe off is really the same as always. Since the new interns are not coming in until later, we're usually seriously understaffed, and this year was no exception." He looked up from his files, and had to keep a grin from forming when he first saw recognition and then a slight hint of dread reflected on both of their faces. Yeah, he guessed, they knew what was coming. "So, to make a long story short, it's the end of January now, and your mandatory time off is long overdue. You know those days have nothing to do with your vacation, so I kind of have to force them on you now. We have a review coming up with the hospital execs and everything has to be in order, so…congratulations! Starting tomorrow, you're life no longer revolves around work for a while…".

They both stared at him in shock, saying nothing.

"Try not to show your excitement" he joked, knowing how they felt. At that stage, every day spent not working felt like a lost opportunity to learn. He still remembered his first year of residency like it had been yesterday.

"But Chief…" Alex started, but was interrupted instantly.

"There aren't any 'buts' here, Dr. Karev. Trust me, I've heard them all. Go update your interns and colleagues on your patients and get out of here."

Izzie herself was too shocked to come up with anything at all. Two weeks off!! With Alex!! What the hell was she supposed to do with herself?

She realized her fellow resident had stood and did the same. She quietly thanked Dr. Webber because it was the polite thing to do, and started towards the exit.

They had almost made it out the door when they heard their boss's voice again. "Oh, and Stevens, Karev…" They turned around. "Don't even think about coming as close as the parking lot of this hospital. If I hear or see you sneaking around, there _will _be consequences. There are work- and insurance related issues to consider here that _cannot_ be ignored. Are we clear?"

"Yes Sir." "Absolutely." Mumbled at the same time, but it was good enough for him. He just hoped he had gotten his point across. Stressed and overworked employees never were an asset to any company, and his hospital was no exception. They might not have agreed to needing that time off, that much was clear, but he knew from first-hand experience what could happen if you just kept on going without ever stopping. And he did not wish that on anybody.

After closing the door to Patricia's office, both Alex and Izzie kind of stood there, not sure what to say - or do, for that matter. Finally she looked up at her friend and colleague and voiced what he was obviously contemplating.

"And now what?"

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_Reviewing is fun! Let's do it ;)_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N Thanks to everyone for the great reviews, especially_ _'Tree life in Seattle' for his/her suggestion with the atrium at UW. I might not use it in this story, but there are more to come, and you'll never know...Thanks again!_

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It was only Tuesday, and Izzie was going stir crazy. It was the evening of her third full day off, and logic told her that she could not possibly bake any more. Not only did the kitchen look like a small chocolate factory. She had also turned the pantry and dining room into every pastry lover's dream as well as every dentist's nightmare. Izzie sent a silent thanks to the Baking Gods that Meredith and Derek were currently 'on' again, and spent most of their time in his trailer, leaving her to do as she pleased.

However, she wouldn't have minded the distraction right about now because so far, she and Alex had managed to not see much of each other. Not necessarily because they were trying to avoid one another for any reason. At least she didn't think so. It was more their daily routine that had prevented much contact up until now. She had taken the opportunity she had been presented with to catch up on some much needed sleep, hardly ever getting up before noon. By the time she got up he was usually at the gym. In the afternoons, so far she had gone shopping twice and even managed to go for a walk yesterday when the sky had cleared for a couple of hours. She had almost taken the bus to that atrium-hotel, but then found that she couldn't be bothered. Next time she was going to pass a garden-center she'd just buy some pretty looking flowers. That would do.

When she had gotten home those nights, Alex had usually been in the process of getting ready to go to Joe's. She had declined his offer to come with him every single day, feeling that she spent enough time in that bar as it was.

Pondering her current situation, she was kind of glad that up until now she had not been forced to spend a lot of time in Alex's company. Things between them were good, but the fact remained that they had never really discussed her little tryst with George again, and she knew that Alex had been bothered by it. She was worried that it might come up if they had too much time on their hands and were not busy discussing patients or hospital gossip.

Izzie herself had filed that episode of her life under "back in the day, when I was young and stupid". Only she hadn't been that young, and it hadn't happened that long ago. But it was the sentiment that mattered, right?

As for any other men in her life, Alex was pretty much her only constant at the moment, and that was dangerous for many reasons. Number one…they had gotten closer again over the past few months and, with the exception of a few topics, were able to share their daily life without holding back. Number two…she hadn't had sex - good sex anyway - in a long while, and with her roommate being as hot as always, there were no guarantees that she wasn't just going to jump him one of these days. Number three, and the most critical in her opinion…she could not stop thinking about him at all whatsoever lately. What was he doing, thinking, where was he going… She refused to believe that she had started to 'like him-like him' again, so she would have to start figuring out what else that meant.

--

Alex sat at Joe's, nursing his second drink. No one else was there yet and the bartender himself was busy, so he was left to ponder what to do with the rest of his 'vacation'. Oh the irony of it all. Every person other than himself, he was sure of that, would have jumped at the chance to take two weeks off of work. But what spelled relaxation for others instilled a sense of anxiety in him. He had never been the type to sit still and do nothing. Back in the day, doing nothing had meant being at home, and home had meant bigger problems than he cared to ever get into again. So he had become a relatively active kid, hanging around the streets getting into all kinds of trouble. Thankfully even back then, he had been smart enough to know the difference between heavily frowned upon vs. plain out illegal and therefore had walked the thin line with care. Needless to mention that his 'friends' from back then were not in his life anymore.

Through college, most of his time was spent training and wrestling and sleeping with as many girls as he could get. Surprisingly, those women were not in his life anymore either. Oh well…he hardly remembered any of their names. In med school, for the first time in his life, he had focused all of his energy on studying. A few people that he had crossed paths with during that time he was still in touch with, although he could count them on one hand.

In the past year and a half, with moving to a different city and having as hectic a schedule as he did, there was barely any time to eat and sleep, much less time for forming new friendships. There was Meredith of course. Even though they didn't talk much in general and even less about their feelings in particular, he knew the petite doctor was someone he could count on. They had more in common than first met the eye, and he was glad they shared this 'secret bond'. It made living with her uncomplicated and fun.

Then there was Izzie of course. A couple of months ago he had resigned himself to the fact that he still had feelings for her. There was just no way of turning those off, no matter how hard he tried. Not even that cheating son of a bitch O'Malley had helped matters. So his new strategy on this specific topic was to just ignore it. Eventually, he reckoned, he _would_ be able to move on. When? No idea, but in the meantime, he would act it. Put on a mask and pretend. At least his childhood had taught him _something_.

He had no idea how much time had passed, but Meredith and Christina interrupted his musings by sitting next to him, each with a shot of tequila in hand, babbling on about their day. His long-awaited distraction for the evening had arrived.

--

When Alex got home later that night he found Izzie sitting in front of the main computer in the den, surfing the net.

She didn't turn around when she heard the door click shut. She did, however, acknowledge his presence.

"You're back early. Didn't have fun at Joe's?"

He hung his jacket on the coat rack and took off his sneakers. "There's only so much fun you can have at Joe's. Especially when the others feel the need to share all of their amazing cases and procedures."

She stared at the screen absently. "Who was there?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Seriously?"

That got her to turn around in her black, oversized swivel chair. He was standing in the living room, in between the couch and TV, so she looked up at him.

Exasperated, she began. "Alex. I have nothing to do. I have no friends outside of the hospital. I'm bored. So do me a favor and entertain me with stories of our co-workers, if nothing else."

Instead of paying any attention to her request, he walked into the kitchen. She looked after him. A few minutes later however, he returned with two bottles of beer, handing one to her before sitting down sideways on the sofa, one leg up, one arm resting casually on the backrest. Her eyes prompted him to speak. After studying her for a moment he did just that.

"Mer and Shepherd were at it in the on-call rooms again. Rumor has it they got caught four times today! I didn't know McDreamy had it in him! I asked her about it too, but you know her. Wouldn't give up the juicy details. Yang just got drunk period. Not sure what her deal was. Couldn't have cared less either."

He took a sip. Izzie still looked remotely interested, so he continued. "Lexie and O'Malley were playing darts." He waited for her reaction. Nothing. Good. Even though no one knew for sure, the widespread opinion of the majority of SGH staff was that the situation between the younger Grey and her roommate had moved past the platonic stage. There was no proof though, and he had never heard Izzie's take on it. He still hadn't gotten over the fact that she and George had had an affair, and the last thing he would want to deal with was jealous Izzie. Especially if it was over another guy.

"Nurse Cara got totally smashed at her birthday party last weekend and apparently…"

"Let's go to Miami," Izzie threw in suddenly. He did a double take. "What?"

"Let's go to Miami," his blonde roommate repeated, as if it was the most natural suggestion in the world. Her changes of topic sometimes were mind-boggling.

"What are we going to do in Miami?"

"What are we going to do _here_? At least there, the weather's better…Plus, I've never been."

He couldn't really argue with that.

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_Please review…again :)__ Thanks!_


	3. Chapter 3

As he sat at the gate in one of those airport lounge chairs three days later, watching over their hand luggage and waiting for Izzie to re-emerge from the bathroom, Alex still was unsure what had possessed him to agree to this trip. Had it been the alcohol in his system? He hadn't even been remotely intoxicated as far as he could remember. Four beers over something like four hours? That could hardly be counted as binge-drinking. And what worried him more was the fact that Izzie hadn't even really had to convince him much. After she'd told him that it was a one-week last-minute package and therefore absolutely affordable, he'd kind of just nodded. Why? He had no clue. At least none that he would delve into right now.

He looked up just in time to see Izzie walking towards him. She wore a dark pair of jeans, white sneakers and a hooded sweatshirt. Casual, and yet absolutely stunning. Not that he was surprised. She was one of those women who could probably make a dishtowel look sexy if she tried. Actually, he had seen her in less than that, and therefore _knew_ she would. He sighed. It was going to be a long week.

"Did they call our flight yet?" she enquired, sitting down next to him.

Just as he was about to tell her that nothing to that extent had happened, a voice came over the intercom.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please. Continental flight 266 to Houston is now boarding all passengers through gate 53…"

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Approximately eight hours later, after a hectic gate change in Texas, a bumpy touch-down at Miami International, and an endless wait for their luggage at the chaos that was the baggage belt, Alex and Izzie finally sat in their rental car en route to the hotel. Alex was in the driver's seat, and since the area surrounding the airport was neither particularly inviting nor interesting, Izzie elected herself the designated map-reader.

They had debated on whether or not to rent a vehicle at all, but Izzie had finally decided for them when she read all about the great malls and outlet stores that were placed throughout the city. Yeah, she was going to do some serious shopping...

Nearly an hour later, after being stuck in Friday night traffic, on top of a couple of wrong turns that resulted in a ten-minute monologue on Alex's part about women and their ability to read maps, they finally found their home for the next week. Situated directly on Ocean Drive in the heart of Miami Beach, not even a mile from Lincoln Road with all its shops and bars and restaurants…Izzie loved the location already. The smell of the ocean as soon as she opened her car door did the rest. She was going to have a great time.

While Alex handled the paperwork at check-in, she took the opportunity to look around the lobby. It looked very inviting, with its sleek-looking couches and comfortable green lounge chairs. The whole furniture and decoration was mostly held in greens and off-whites, bringing across a very summery atmosphere. The for this part of the country obligatory palm trees were placed strategically in every corner. She realized that that was another plant she was able to recognize instantly. That made two already. Maybe she shouldn't be worried after all…

The modern style of the lobby continued into their room, with two queen sized beds in the center, a big desk with two comfy looking chairs and a huge flat-screen TV that was mounted to the wall. The large windows were covered with light, sheer curtains and gave view to the beach and ocean that started right across the street. What made it perfect was the spacious bathroom that included a large bathtub/jacuzzi, a shower, and mirrors everywhere. Izzie had no idea how they had scored such an amazing hotel for the overall price they'd paid, but she wasn't going to question it either. As she exited the bathroom, she heard Alex's question.

"Which one?"

"Huh?"

"Which side do you prefer?"

What? "What?"

"The bed!"

"Oh…either one. You choose," she replied while looking into the closets. Ironing board, mini bar and a small safe. Very good.

He threw his bags on top of the bed that was closer to the windows and flopped down onto it. The thought of unpacking immediately crossed her mind, but as she saw her roommate – now in the actual sense of the word – spread out comfortably on his mattress, she decided to do the same.

After staring at the paintings on the wall for a minute, enjoying the stillness of the room after the hectic bustle that came with traveling, Izzie turned her head and looked over at Alex. He had one arm crossed over his eyes, blocking out the artificial light coming from the lamps that hung asymmetrically from the ceiling. He had kicked off his shoes and was only wearing a pair of faded jeans and a black t-shirt, which had ridden up a bit, exposing his toned abs. He really was as handsome as they came... Stop. She halted her thoughts instantly. What the hell was wrong with her? After everything they'd been through, with Olivia, Denny, George, and whatever else that hadn't gone right for them, she had seriously thought that her and Alex were over. Or at least that she was over him. In true fashion, Alex would probably always remain a flirt, at least with her, but she didn't know if it was meant seriously anymore. To her surprise, she realized that she wanted him to still mean it. When had that happened? Thinking about it, she blamed stupid Meredith and her once again wonderful love life. When her dark and twisty friend had spent her free time at home, moping and drinking away her sorrows with Christina, Izzie had always had a certain distraction. Now, what was left at home was Alex. They saw each other in the mornings, at night, at work. And while she wasn't complaining – after all he was great company – she reasoned that it was still essentially Mer's fault somehow, that she had started seeing Alex in a new light again. However, she also knew that if they were to ever talk about her (maybe their?) 'possible' feelings again, she'd have to be the one to start, and she doubted that would happen anytime soon. Rejection was a bitch, as Alex would probably confirm, and she was not going to add another one of those chapters to their story.

Her mind drifted back to the present when she heard his voice.

"I'm starving by the way."

She chuckled. "I thought you were sleeping…"

"Nope. Not gonna happen. I need food, so you better find me some. After all it was me who did all the hard work today."

She raised her eyebrows. "Hard work? When?"

"When?" he asked back incredulously, finally turning to face her. "I carried your luggage. I drove you here. With _you_ as a guide, yet we still made it. Thanks to me, I might add…I checked you in. So you better get me some food woman, otherwise there'll be no more Alex to go shopping with tomorrow."

She giggled. "Oh no! We wouldn't want _that_." She got up and held out her hand, pulling him into a standing position next to her. "Who would carry my bags for me when I try on new clothes?", she winked, walking backwards until she disappeared out the door, dodging the sweater that Alex threw at her on her way. He put his shoes back on, laughing silently before following her out of the room.

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_Maybe a tiny little review...please? Thanks a lot :)_


	4. Chapter 4

Alex sat on his blue towel, surveying the scenery before him from behind his sunglasses. Nice soft sand, a beach that was not too crowded, water that was almost turquoise in color and not a cloud in the sky. For the beginning of February, it was pretty damn amazing.

Yesterday, after having slept in, he and Izzie had taken a stroll around the area of their hotel, familiarizing themselves with the local neighborhood, before enjoying a leisurely breakfast at a cozy café in one of the smaller side streets. He couldn't remember ever having a vacation like that. He guessed it was no wonder for a boy who basically hadn't left Iowa before moving to Seattle. Unless of course he counted the short road-trips to Chicago and St. Louis with his boys, in Shaun's old, shabby Ford Explorer, which wouldn't go past 45, even on the freeway. They had also been to Vegas once, their graduation present as they'd called it. The booze and some of the other 'stuff' had more or less wiped his memory clean of that whole journey, even though pictures existed that undoubtedly proved he'd been there.

He grinned as his thoughts eventually drifted back to yesterday. After breakfast, they'd changed and gone to the gym that was provided for hotel guests. The sky had been somewhat overcast, so instead of tanning, they'd chosen to check out one of the malls that Izzie had been going on and on AND ON about. She had bought three pairs of new shoes, which lead to him teasing her endlessly about maps and shoes and all of those other common stereotypes. It had been a fun day.

He glanced over to his right, where the by far hottest girl on the beach, in her barely-there pink and brown bikini, was laying on her back, reading one of those trashy gossip magazines. Ok, so maybe he was biased, but that didn't stop him from staring at her whenever he thought she wasn't looking. Both of them where immersed in their respective activities when all of a sudden, without intro or prologue, Izzie blurted it out.

"I'm over George, you know…That is if I was ever really into him," she added on second thought. Once again, one of her out-of-the-blue statements that left him wondering where it all came from. He wasn't sure how to respond or if he wanted to have this conversation at all. They were sharing a hotel room – if they had a disagreement now, his vacation might not be so peaceful anymore. So he just nodded and said nothing.

"I'm serious Alex. I don't know what I was thinking. But I know I could've handled it better, especially with you. I don't think of you as one of my 'chick friends', and I'm sorry for making you feel that way."

"Ok."

She turned her head sideways to look up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun with her reading material. "That's it? Ok?"

He stared straight ahead, out into the ocean. "There's really not much more to say Iz. Whatever you're feelings are, that's between you and Bambi."

"Yeah, but there is no 'me and Bambi'", she repeated.

"Ok."

"Good. Ok then. As long as we're clear on that." She wasn't sure why she felt the need to convince him right then and there, but somehow it seemed important. She had definitely sensed his unwillingness to converse about that particular topic, but at least for her own piece of mind, some things just had to be said.

--

Later on, the pair was having a late lunch in one of the many beachfront restaurants when they were debating on what to do for the rest of the day. The idea that they could just as well go their separate ways every once in a while had been vetoed by both on their very first day in town, deciding that they'd much rather spend some quality time together. The consensus had been that if they had wanted alone-time, they might just as well have stayed in Seattle.

After going back and forth over how to best spend their evening, Izzie finally asked what had been on her mind before this discussion even started. "Are we too old to go to a club? You know…with music and dancing and stuff?"

He shrugged his shoulders while chewing on a piece of bread. "Depends on the club. I'm not gonna shake my booty in a place where a bunch of 18-year olds are jumping around…"

She burst out laughing. "I didn't know you _could_ shake your booty."

He grinned back. "Find me a place with normal-aged people and I just might prove it to you."

--

Hours later, after a long, drawn-out process of getting ready, that had left her breathtakingly beautiful and him close to a nervous breakdown, they finally arrived at their destination. Instead of a regular club, they had chosen to compromise and ended up at a hotel close by. The bar at this location was divided into an inside- and outside part, with two small dance floors and a booth in one of its corners where the DJ was playing a mix of slow R'n'B, 80's music and a variety of chill-out tunes. The atmosphere was very laid-back, and after a couple of drinks inside, Alex and Izzie ventured out to the patio to catch some fresh air and take in the rest of the surroundings. With 75 degrees close to midnight the weather was perfect, and they wanted to spend as much time as they could enjoying the outdoors.

Over the course of the evening, they started talking to a couple who coincidentally also came from Washington State. Alaina and Matthew were an outgoing pair who had come down to Florida to celebrate their recent engagement. The happy occasion served as the perfect excuse to drink a little more, which led to a lot more funny conversation, which eventually led to dancing after all. Alaina was the type of person who didn't care about other peoples' opinions whatsoever and, after a while, had Izzie convinced that once she let herself go completely, she'd reach another 'level of being'.

Had the blonde been sober, she might have questioned that theory, but in her inebriated state of mind, Alaina's reasoning made sense, and so it turned out to be a hilarious night, with lots of touchy feely moments on the dance floor. Any onlooker probably would have never guessed that Alex Karev and Isobel Stevens were 'just friends', but that's what they chose to tell themselves so it was their own undeniable truth.

Sometime close to 3 am, once Matthew and his fiancée had bid their farewell, her 'level of being' now well above the legal limit, Alex and Izzie decided that it was time for them to head back as well. Both were clearly drunk, though still able to stand relatively straight, so they walked the short distance to the hotel. Izzie had linked her arm through his for balance-purposes, and he was doing the best he could to keep her steady. Half-way home, she started giggling, which cause him to laugh as well.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," she pressed out. "It's just…" And off she went again. Once she had calmed herself down, she started anew. "I gotta tell you something. But ssshhhh!!" She pressed her index finger to her lips and leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "You are indeed an _excellent_ dancer."

He winked at her. "Why thank you. You're not half bad yourself, you know? And let me tell you another secret…" He mimicked her gesture from earlier, speaking directly into her ear, sending shivers down her spine in the process. "You're very pretty tonight."

The blonde started blushing but was fairly sure that the darkness of night would cover it up. She realized that what they were doing could only be categorized as flirting, but the fair amount of alcohol in her system prevented her from caring. Or stopping, for that matter. They continued their light banter until they arrived at the hotel, mastering the steps leading up to the main lobby on their second try.

In the elevator up to the 7th floor, a game of willpower began. The tension that had built up over the course of the night reached an all time high – with stares and almost-touches and words left unsaid – and around floor 4 finally came to a boiling point. The next day, neither of the two would admit to being the 'weaker' one, but when it came down to it, it was Izzie who had kissed him first.

When the lift signaled their floor, the pair somehow managed to stumble into their room where the 'party' continued, with her ripping open his shirt and him fumbling for the hidden zipper of her dress.

--

_Reviews are always nice (__hint hint) :P__ And thanks for all the lovely ones from the previous chapter!_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N I apologize for the shortness of this chappie, next one's gonna be longer again :D_

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Izzie woke up with a pounding headache and a smile on her face. The pounding headache she could attribute to the alcohol relatively quickly, the smile on her face took longer to rationalize. Slowly, the events of last night came flooding back in rough order. Alcohol, dancing, more alcohol, clothes everywhere, hot kisses, even hotter love-making…

Stop. Love-making? Or just sex? It was still relatively early in the morning and she was pretty damn hung-over, yet just as determined to figure this one out.

Even though her 'whatever' with Alex had had all the characteristics of a one-night stand, she had to admit that she wanted it to mean more. While that didn't come as a surprise, after all she had dissected those feelings to death lately, it did pose some challenges. Convincing Alex was probably the toughest one of all because for all she knew, he probably still believed that George was the 'man of her dreams'. Ha freakin' ha.

Slowly, she turned her head, cautiously glancing backwards in Alex's direction. He was still sleeping, an arm draped lightly across her waist. A sense of panic flooded her. She needed to figure 'something' out before he woke up. Not knowing what to do once they were both awake was not an option. Her mind was working on overdrive. Did she just kiss him? That would be weird and awkward. They had been 'just friends' for too long now, so there would have to be at least some sort of talk. But how did she start that? 'Hey Alex, remember all those times that I told you I didn't want you? Yeah, I didn't mean that…' Somehow she doubted that would work. She couldn't just plainly ignore last night's encounter either, because quite frankly, that was not what she wanted.

Izzie took in Alex's sleeping figure once more. What would _he_ want? There was too much possibility for potential error here, so she didn't even try to analyze his actions over the last couple of days. And while she was willing to acknowledge the looks she had seen him give her when he didn't think she was looking, it was not enough proof to be convinced that her feelings were reciprocated. Sure, last night he had definitely seemed more than willing, but that might have been the effect of the alcohol too. She squeezed her eyes shut; after all of that, she was only certain of one thing - her thoughts were a jumbled mess and she still wasn't any wiser.

Izzie didn't know how much time had passed, but when she felt Alex stir behind her, in a split second decision, she all but leapt out of bed, sprinting towards the bathroom for so-called 'safety'.

Once inside, she chastised herself for her antics that now left her locked in a hotel bathroom - without clothes or any idea how to proceed - making this whole mess even more tricky and complicated. How many drinks _did _she have last night? She shook her head and pressed her ear against the door, listening to Alex rummage about the room, obviously getting dressed. _Please just leave, please just leave, please just leave_. She knew she was being childish, almost certainly bordering on ridiculous at this point, and she also realized that him leaving now would not solve any of her problems. She _was_ however hoping to stall for a little bit more time; granted, she had no clue what she would do with it, since time hadn't helped her earlier either. But at this particular moment, more time felt like the genius way out of her dilemma, so more time was what she prayed for.

As she was about to find out, her silent pleas went unanswered when the dreaded knock came on the bathroom door. "Give me a sec." She hurriedly wrapped a towel around herself and stuffed her yellow toothbrush into her mouth in order to at least pretend to be busy. Then, slowly, she opened the door to reveal Alex, fully dressed and, as it appeared, ready to – indeed – leave.

He took a quick look at her, carefully avoiding her eyes. "You wanna talk about it?" Typical Alex, she thought. Straight to the point. She sometimes admired this ability of his to always cut right to the matter at hand. Even though in this case, the matter at hand was not exactly verbalized.

"No." Her voice was a mix of assuredness and doubt. He chose to acknowledge the former.

"Ok. Good. I'm going for a run." He finally chanced a glance at her. "You coming?"

There were oh so many reasons not to go, her nausea being the most prominent one, so she declined. "Nah…I think I'll sleep some more."

"Alright. I'll see you later then." He turned around and was on his way out of the front door before she could find her voice again. Fuck.

As soon as Izzie was alone again, she sank down onto the bathroom floor, sitting propped up against the tiled jacuzzi, her dry toothbrush still in her mouth. She chewed on it absently, tipping her head back to rest against the edge of the tub. If only she could figure out what to do now…

--

_Drop me a note, whether you love or hate it. Thanks ;)_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N I want to sincerely thank all of you for your reviews, your comments mean a lot to me :)_

_--_

As Alex's feet pounded against the pavement, the slight headache that served as a silent reminder of last night's activities was the least of his worries. He was jogging along an ocean walk, yet instead of noticing the beautiful scenery, his mind was back in his hotel room. Or rather, back with the person he had left there. He could have kicked himself. Alex had sworn on everything that he would not sleep with Izzie Stevens again. Do 'anything' along those lines with Izzie Stevens really. Not in a situation where the status quo remained undefined and where, once more, he didn't know where he stood. He ran faster. The two of them had reached a good place in their friendship, after many ups and downs, and he was willing to bet that now Izzie felt like he wanted her again – and while that part was true, he feared she might start to distance herself as a result of what happened, in order to discourage any 'efforts' on his part. Except that this time there would be no efforts made.

With each step, his resolve that nothing remotely sexual would ever happen between them again, that they would remain friends through all this and not let last night's episode stand in their way, hardened. He would convince Izzie that yesterday had been a stupid mistake and that he _really really _did not want more than a platonic relationship. It wasn't that he thought he didn't deserve happiness, or that he was not good enough for the only girl he had ever had those sickeningly deep feelings for; it was more the fact that he wanted to respect Izzie's wishes and not try to pursue her when she didn't feel anything but friendship where he was concerned. Sure, he knew that that would never be enough for him, but sometimes, you had to settle for less after all. Another thing he had learned at an early age.

After a good hour of just running his heart out, Alex decided to turn his annoying mind off, focusing instead on the beach, the people around him, his empty stomach. After breakfast, he took a dip in the ocean, letting his shorts dry in the warm rays of the sun afterwards. A quick nap and some more tanning later, and Alex had to admit to himself that actively _not _thinking about something was probably even more exhausting than just mulling the actual thing over in his head, so he decided that the time had come to face whatever situation he would come across back at the hotel head-on.

--

Izzie was freshly showered and dressed when Alex returned. She greeted him with a not so patient "Where have you been?"

An unreadable expression crossed his face. "I told you, I went out for a run…"

"For four hours?"

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Yeah."

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Anyways. I lied earlier. I _do _want to talk about it." If he could be straight to the point, so could she.

He looked slightly panicked. It would have been funny, under different circumstances, maybe. "Oh…ok."

"Yeah...ok. Sit." She took his arm and gave him a slight shove towards one of the chairs by the desk. Instead of taking a seat though, he went over to the far end of the room and casually leaned against the windowsill, watching her intently. She walked back to his bed and sat down on it, ultimately facing him at a safe distance. She cleared her throat.

"Ok. Don't say anything. Alright?" He reassured her with a silent nod, so she continued. "Ok. Good. Ummm…I don't regret that we slept together last night. Really, I don't. I mean, it was really good, right? But then again, it kind of always is, isn't it?" She contemplated her words for a moment before getting up and closing the short distance between them, coming closer until she stood right in front of the man that had occupied every minute of her recent musings. He stared at her as if he had no clue what she was trying to say, and she realized that he probably truly didn't. It might have helped if at least she had figured her reasoning out beforehand, but it was too late now, so she continued her monologue. "Ok, I'm gonna back up here, give you the short version. Basically, what I think is that we should do it again."

Alex looked like he was about to object, so Izzie decided she needed a quick distraction to rid him of all potential doubts. In her mind, it was the perfect plan, so she placed her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him closer for what was supposed to be _the_ passionate lip lock of all passionate lip locks. However, Alex stopped her after what felt like a few all-too-short seconds – it had probably been a good minute at least – by putting both of his hands on her shoulders, lightly pushing her off him. Izzie's lips were slightly swollen and her eyes had this far-away look that only being totally caught up in the moment could give you. After a deep calming breath, he tried to explain himself. "I can't believe I'm actually saying this Iz, but I honestly don't think that's such a good idea…"

She didn't let him explain any further, instead taking a step back from where his hands still rested on her shoulders. "Really? I kinda figured that…you know…after last night…Well, I don't know…that you wouldn't mind…doing stuff, you know…I guess…" Her sentence had stopped making sense even to her own ears, so she trailed off. Could this be any more embarrassing? If that's how Alex had felt after she had rejected him in the hallway during the case with Frank, she deeply regretted her actions now. It most definitely sucked.

She picked up her train of thoughts again, drawing in a shaky breath followed by an insecure smile. "You know what? I'm totally gonna apologize for this. I'm sorry for making this so…awkward. I guess I just assumed that you wanted what I wanted in a way. I'm sorry."

For a moment, neither of the pair said anything, both staring silently out the window from their respective locations opposite of each other.

After a while, Alex decided to contribute. "That's exactly it Iz. I can't tell you if I want what you want because you haven't ever specified what exactly that is. What I can tell you for sure, one hundred percent, is that if we were to ever 'do stuff' again, as you so eloquently put it, I'd want…No, I'd _need_ more than the occasional one-night stand. And since..."

"So would I." Her answer was immediate. She knew she had never meant anything as much as her statement in that particular moment.

"You would?" He sounded incredulous.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

"You have? Cause to me it sounded like…" Izzie didn't even let him finish. "Alex…would you like to go out with me tonight? On a date? I wear something gorgeous, you pay for food…" There definitely was much more to talk about, but maybe it would be easier with a bit more space, in a different setting; so she tried to accomplish exactly that. She focused on his face and waited for a reaction.

His expression remained neutral for a few seconds. She was beginning to fear the worst when his eyes lit up in silent laughter, and the hint of a smirk graced his lips. "You're gonna have to wear something extraordinarily gorgeous to make up for the last few hours Iz."

"Me? You know how worried I was when…"

"Hey Izzie," Alex cut her off and put his arms around her once more, now grinning. "Do me a favor and shut the hell up."

By the time their lips finally met again, Izzie was beaming like a maniac.

--

_Please leave a review (again) if you feel like it :)__ Many thanks!!_


	7. Chapter 7

Tuesday found Alex and Izzie sitting in their black Dodge Caliber, heading south on US-1. In celebration of their so-called reunion, they had spontaneously decided this morning to go on a little overnight trip to Key West, an island south of Miami known for its sun-filled skies and laid-back attitudes. Matthew, the newly engaged guy from the bar a couple of nights ago, had told them how beautiful it was and how he and his fiancée had enjoyed every minute there. Key West, he'd raved, was different from anything he had ever experienced in the US – although Alex didn't know how much that was exactly – and definitely worth a visit.

And since Izzie - who had gone through all the trouble of dressing up last night, and who would have been annoyed that they then hadn't even made it out of the hotel room if it hadn't been for what came after 'not leaving' – was worried that they would not see anything else on their vacation besides the sheets of their beds, she had insisted they do something, anything else. Alex himself would not really have minded spending the rest of his time here in bed – and maybe the jacuzzi for a change – but Izzie was having none of it. So she had gone online, found quite an expensive accommodation on the outskirts of the island that she'd called 'reasonably priced', and decided that since their whole trip had been a bargain more or less, they could 'splurge' on a motel. Key West, she'd informed him, apparently was never really cheap per se, and since Alex would have followed her into the depths of Antarctica at that point just to get her to stop talking, he'd just nodded again. It was this exact movement of his head that had gotten him involved in this whole Miami adventure in the first place, and that had turned out quite well so far. So what harm could lie in a short excursion to another place he'd never seen? He was definitely looking forward to it now.

Alex looked over at Izzie, who had volunteered to drive for the first half of their 170-mile journey. There hadn't been much talking last night, and even though she had assured him that this time 'feeding the beast' would not be the main activity in their dating process, he remained tentatively doubtful. He'd been through too much with her already, so he decided to wait for whatever was happening before anticipating it, to go with the flow as they said, and hoped he could avoid getting disappointed this time around.

--

Once Alex had taken over the steering wheel, somewhere around Key Largo approximately 60 miles into their journey, Izzie took the opportunity to take a closer look at her beautiful surroundings. The little islands, or keys, as they were called down here, were not necessarily that astounding when you drove directly through the part where settlers had long ago built up their houses. But as soon as the buildings cleared and gave way to the overseas highway again, Izzie could not believe the magnificence of the setting. As they passed bridge after bridge, some of them seemingly endless, she watched in amazement as the ocean right beside them turned from turquoise to azure, from dark blue to almost black, and pretty much every other shade in between. Far out, she could catch glimpses of seagulls and pelicans, probably waiting for their breakfast, in whatever form that might come. She had never seen anything like it, and was blown away by the simple beauty of it all.

"It's pretty spectacular, this whole road, isn't it?" It was a rhetorical question, so she wasn't expecting an answer. She got one anyway.

"True. But our whole visit so far has been rather incredible if you ask me. And this particular street is not on top of my list."

Izzie glanced over at Alex, studying him for a moment. "What is on top of your list?"

His answer came without missing a beat, accompanied by an impish grin. "I'll give you a hint later if you haven't figured it out by then."

Izzie let out a polite chuckle and turned her head in the opposite direction again, facing the beautiful outdoors once more. She still was nervous about the shift in their relationship. They had never really been together like that; when the sole focus was not on physical satisfaction, but rather on _everything_, the whole package more or less. She and Alex never had any problems inside the bedroom. It was outside those confines that both were unsure how to behave around each other. Her last 'real' boyfriend, with whom she'd had actual dates, good talks about the normal things in life, and a rather satisfying, if sometimes boring, sex life, had been Hank, and that seemed like a lifetime ago. Hank had neither been on the brink of death nor had he been married or emotionally unavailable, so the foundation for a regular relationship had been set. Now, here, with Alex, she felt like she had entered a new playing field, and that notion scared her.

--

Izzie paused her reverie when Alex pulled up to a gas station and turned in his seat to face her. "You've been quiet. Everything alright?" He seemed apprehensive now.

"Oh yeah. I'm just…you know, looking." She gave what she felt was a reassuring smile and kissed him quickly before opening her door and stepping out to fill up the tank. When Alex steered the car back onto the main road again not even five minutes later, Izzie decided that now was as good a time as any to voice her concerns.

"Doesn't this feel weird?" He looked at her, confusion etched on his features. "Ok, maybe weird is the wrong word but…it's certainly different, don't you think?"

He replied without losing sight of the traffic in front of him. "Iz, I'm sorry, but I can't read your mind just yet. What's weird?"

"_This_." She gestured between them like it was obvious what she was referring to.

He sighed. "Now that we finally decided to try _'this' _for real, you're questioning it? Already? That was fast, even for you."

Izzie shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not questioning it. Please don't think that. It's just…I don't wanna mess it up. Not again. And on top of that, I don't have the best track record when it comes to relationships."

Alex took his eyes off the road just long enough to throw an incredulous stare her way. "You _do_ realize who you're talking to, right?"

The blonde doctor had to laugh at that. "Ok, I'm sorry. You win this round."

"Thank you," Alex replied sarcastically, before focusing his attention on the street that lay ahead of him once more.

An uncomfortably silent ten minutes passed without any conversation at all before Izzie picked up their earlier topic. "Look Alex, it's not that I want to analyze every single thing I ever did, that you ever did, or that happened without any fault of our own whatsoever. But at the same time, I can't help but think…"

She was cut off by the person in the driver's seat, who eyed her exasperatedly. "I like that you're using your brains every once in a while Iz, I really do, but you're over-thinking…_this._" He smiled reassuringly at her for good measure, letting her know that while he was serious, he wasn't hurt by her train of thoughts.

Izzie exhaled slowly. "I can't help it…it's what I do."

"Ok, then stop," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Stop what? Thinking?"

"YES! Look, I can't promise you that it's all gonna be roses and fairytales from here on out. That's not what I do. But I can guarantee you that I'll try, and I'm asking you to do the same. We can probably safely say that we both hurt each other at some point, but I guess we also agree that all those issues have to stay in the past if that thing here is going to work out. That's really all there should be to it Iz. And since we both suck at relationships, as you so comfortingly emphasized, how about we just run with it, figure it out together?"

Izzie felt relieved all of a sudden, like a heavy weight had been lifted off her chest. Maybe Alex wasn't always a genius with words, but he knew what to say in the right moments – and even if sometimes it wasn't much then either, right now he had told her everything she could ever want to hear. She smiled as she leaned over and kissed his cheek softly.

"Ok then. Let's figure it out together."

--

_A/N I was stuck on this chapter for a long time and am still not too sure what I think of it, so please let me know your thoughts instead ;) Thanks!! And big hugs for the great reviews so far, I always appreciate your comments :)_


	8. Chapter 8

After Alex and Izzie had checked into their motel for the upcoming night, they decided not to waste any time in their sparsely decorated accommodation, instead heading out again almost as soon as they had thrown their bags into the unwelcoming room. They drove the short distance to the old town of Key West, where, after a good 20 minutes of maneuvering through impossibly narrow streets, they indeed found a parking space that was totally and utterly free of charge.

The pair quickly found a cute little restaurant on Duval Street, which ran from the very north to the very south of the island, and which seemed to house many cozy restaurants and bars, quirky little shops and a variety of art stores. After consulting her local area map at lunch, Izzie decided to approach this 'touristy experience' strategically, much to Alex's amusement, starting off by walking all the way down to the most southern point of the United States. Once they'd taken the obligatory picture next to the barrel that represented said attraction, Alex teased her by claiming to actually being able to see Cuba from that very spot with his own two eyes, and Izzie, thanks to her disregard of all things geography, had actually believed him for a minute.

After convincing herself with the help of her omniscient map that it was indeed pretty much impossible to make out Cuba from their current location, the twosome slowly strolled back up north through some of the smaller side streets, marveling at the tiny old houses that had probably seen many crazy artists and wild hippies in their time. Eventually the couple continued back on the main road, stopping by an old lighthouse and the Ernest Hemingway House – a former residence of the late author that had been turned into a museum – for some 'culture', as Izzie had claimed. Then, via a small detour, they moved on to the cemetery. Alex thought it was probably crude, most certainly tactless, to consider the final resting place of the dead a tourist attraction, but he had to acknowledge that the way the caskets where stacked on top of each other was a pretty impressive solution in combating the apparent lack of space on the island. It also showed him that no, not even in a place as joyful and stunning as Key West, did people live forever.

After their brush with mortality for the day, Alex and Izzie sauntered into the direction of the port, where some of the big cruise ships were getting ready to head back out to sea, continuing their journey. The couple stopped at Mallory Square, where hundreds of people gathered every night right by the docks to observe the 'famous' sunset, which was supposed to take place at exactly 6.20 pm on this wonderfully clear evening.

As he stood by the railing with his arms wrapped around Izzie from behind, watching a big, fiery ball of red and gold gradually disappear into the ocean, Alex had to admit that the whole situation was pretty striking. He'd read a statistic once, but couldn't remember how many thousands of men had gone down on one knee here, spontaneously or well-planned, to ask the supposed love of their lives for marriage due to the beautiful setting and the romantic ambiance of these moments. He wondered how many of them were divorced by now.

When the sun had finally vanished completely below the horizon, Izzie turned her head slightly and looked at him sideways, her arms folded on top of his, a content smile on her face. He glanced down at her. "You _do _know I'm not gonna say anything remotely romantic I hope, right?"

She chuckled. "Don't worry, I wasn't expecting you to." After contemplating their exchange for a second, Izzie turned around in his arms and started kissing him - leisurely at first, then more thoroughly as their tongues found each other, melting together in a comfortable rhythm. Once they pulled apart to catch their breaths, Izzie looked up into her boyfriends' eyes sheepishly. "Sorry, but there's gotta be _something _resembling a passionate moment. I mean, when will we ever experience a sunset like that again?"

"You do realize the sun sets in the west, right? And we live on the _west _coast…"

She gave him a playful shove. "Oh, shut up. This was _my_ moment, and I had it. Now I'm ready for a drink."

Alex smirked as he grabbed her hand, turning to leave. "Lead the way then."

The pair ended up in a small, inviting bar where a live band played some incredible jazz. It was not the type of music either of them usually listened to, but it fit the surroundings and the atmosphere in the venue was great, making them stay put until the early hours of the morning.

--

When the twosome headed back to Miami late the next day, after a drawn-out breakfast on the main island itself and after numerous other short stops on the smaller keys in between to admire the wonderful, tiny, white stretches of beach – and to take a break from driving with an irritating hangover – Alex was completely exhausted. They had, once more, not gotten nearly enough sleep after a night that had involved a good amount of alcohol, and the early check-out time of 10 am had not helped whatsoever. Right now, he couldn't recall how he managed stuff like this in everday life. Izzie at least looked more refreshed than he felt, but she hadn't yet let on if she was indeed as chirpy on the inside as she appeared to be. She was at least trying to make light conversation, which was more than could be said for himself.

"Isn't it funny how far we've come from only a week ago? And don't even say it, I don't mean the actual physical distance between Seattle and Florida."

He grinned at that. She knew him too well. Izzie just rolled her eyes at his expression and continued her musings wistfully. "I had a great time down here. I love the sun. I sometimes wish it was sunnier in Washington, puts you in a different mood right away, doesn't it?"

"So you're blaming the lack of sunshine for our dreadful attempts at dating before?" She didn't even grace him with an answer, instead focusing all her attention on the road ahead of her. His statement, as he was about to find out, had not been enough to get her to quiet down anyways, because she just ignored it and kept on chatting.

"You said it yourself…one step at a time. Those were rainy, wet steps that we had to take before figuring out how to use an umbrella. And only after that did we even dare to walk without the constant protection of our powerful shield against the never-ending precipitation."

"Care to hear my opinion?" He didn't wait for confirmation on Izzie's part before continuing. "Because I think you seriously need to work on mastering the abstract art of metaphors before saying anything else."

She smirked as her right hand left the steering wheel and reached over, patting his head lightly. "You know, maybe you shouldn't talk when you're like this. Just go back to sleep and I'll wake you once I'm lost, ok?"

Alex chuckled before he did as he'd been told and shut his eyes. If there was one thing that he had learned about Izzie Stevens this week that he hadn't necessarily known before, it would have to be the fact that she did not take herself too seriously when she was relaxed and carefree like that, and he was seriously starting to appreciate the trait – a lot.

--

_A/N Next chapter's probably gonna be the last one because…well, their vacation is slowly coming to an end lol. Please review :)__ Thanks a million!!_


	9. Chapter 9

It was Friday morning. Ok, so that was a lie. It was so-freakin'-early-it-should-be-illegal-to-schedule-flights-at-this-hour on Friday. Nonetheless, Alex and Izzie had already checked out of their hotel, returned the car, and checked in again at the airport. Now Alex was leaning against a wall close to their gate with his arms around his on-again girlfriend, more or less holding her up against him because she was about to fall back asleep right then and there. He thought back on last night. Yeah, they hadn't gotten much rest, he remembered fondly.

The evening had started out in a somber mood, with a casual dinner in a bar/restaurant directly by the water, on one of the little islands that connected Miami Beach to the mainland. They had stumbled upon it by chance, driving back from yet another mall Izzie had wanted to check out. The sign on the left-hand side of the causeway had been hidden behind a much larger one advertising a hotel, and only because Izzie had mentioned food he'd even looked into that general direction. The patio of said place was large and only candles lit up the area. They had gotten a somewhat secluded table by the ocean, which had added to the romantic feel of the night. The setting was perfect, so the subdued mood stemmed more from the fact that both had no idea what was going to happen once they got back to the 'real world'. They'd be busy again, surrounded by people who had watched them fall apart before – and who, no doubt, would have their own distinctive opinions of them trying again.

With neither of the pair willing to address those gloomy issues on their last night in Miami, they had lightened the mood with the help of some cocktails and the occasional beer, eventually taking their last stroll down the beach together after dinner.

An elderly lady with pink tights, an orange shirt, intense red lipstick and a huge blue-yellow-ish sunhat brought Alex back to the present. He was almost frightened by her appearance, after all his eyes _did_ have to get used to all that brightness in the very early morning. Her shrill voice did not help matters whatsoever.

"Is your wife alright?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked down at the woman in his arms. Anything to get rid of this…creature. "She's fine, just tired...but thanks for asking."

"Oh…Good then. Because you know, if she's afraid of flying, there's excellent pills for that. You basically pass out instantly. My psychiatrist told me they're also good for depression and a general lack of energy."

Alex tried his hardest not to laugh out loud, wondering why fate, chance or whoever else, hadn't made his conversational partner pop some of her praised tablets before entering his field of vision. And she showed no sign of stopping her vivid chatter either.

"At least your wife is pretty from what I can see. It doesn't matter if she has tiny flaws, you know? I used to be Miss 'Truck Stop' in Texas back in the day, so I speak from experience young man, when I say that beauty is NOT everything. You gotta know how to take care of your woman in more ways than one." She sighed happily. Alex didn't even want to envision what 'becoming Miss Truck Stop' entailed. What he did know was that at this point, he would have paid good money to any gate agent who called this…person's flight. Izzie's shoulders were shaking with held back laughter by now, intelligently not moving any part of her body that would indicate she was indeed awake or listening. Oh, she was definitely going to pay for this at some point. A few minutes later, Alex's silent prayers were answered when a flight to La Guardia was announced. His newfound friend said her goodbyes with a heavy heart, as she let him know, praising her handsome travel agent en route to board her plane. Alex rolled his eyes – he didn't even want to know…

Once she was out of earshot, Izzie opened her eyes. Her chin had rested on his shoulder, so she pulled back slightly and looked up into her boyfriend's eyes with an amused grin.

He stared back with a serious look on his face. "I hate you."

She stood up straighter, putting on a slight fake pout, and gave him a soft peck on the lips, which resulted in Alex shaking his head. "Nope. Still hate you." Izzie kissed him again gently, a bit longer this time. When she opened her eyes, his expression was the same. "There's NOTHING you could do to make up for this that's fit for the public eye."

"How long 'til our flight?" There was a gleam in her eyes as she pulled him towards the restrooms.

He decided to play dumb. "Why?"

"Didn't you hear Miss Truck Stop? You better start taking care of your 'wife'…"

--

Somewhere way above the clouds, and probably the general Mississippi area, Izzie leaned back in her seat with a content, satisfied smile on her face, listening to her iPod. Their little bathroom adventure had definitely been exciting, leaving her wide awake now. She thought Alex, who was sitting to her left, had fallen asleep after takeoff and was surprised to hear his voice over her music. She removed her earpiece and turned her body, as much as she could in her not so spacious airplane seat anyways, in his general direction.

"What?"

"I said I was thinking…and before you start, no, there aren't any more original jokes to be made with this sentence…Anyways. I was thinking…You know how this did not work out the first time we tried? Or the second?"

He didn't have to specify what 'this' meant. She had a rough idea, so she just nodded her head, watching him with intent. He seemed a bit nervous, and she wasn't sure if that was a premonition of what was to come.

After studying her for a moment, Alex continued. "Well, I just think it would be a mistake to make a big deal out of it now. At least in the beginning. You know, with people talking and shit." He paused for a second. "Get what I'm saying?"

She did. She also did not feel the need to prance around the hospital, flaunting her old new relationship. Relationship. That particular word brought a smile to her face.

"What?" He seemed even more anxious now, awaiting her reaction.

Izzie leaned over her armrest without breaking eye-contact and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm with you," she stated matter-of-factly as she pulled back.

"You're with me?"

"That's right." She loved confused Alex. After all, it didn't happen too often.

"You're with me as in you're _with _me, or you're with me as in you agree with me?"

"I'm with you period." She let a few seconds pass before she added, "Oh…and another thing. No more other people. Deal?"

He graced her with his most sincere smile in return before he leaned over to kiss her again. "Deal."

--

When the twosome got home that same afternoon, much to their surprise, Meredith was in the kitchen, clearing out the dishwasher. She looked up from her task when she heard them enter and gave each of her roommates a hug. Before they had a chance to ask what she was doing home on a Friday, she'd already started to talk.

"Hey guys. How was your trip?"

"Good." "Alright." They looked at each other, silently confirming their strategy of not giving away too many details.

Meredith eyed them suspiciously. "Just good? I'm sensing a different vibe here…"

Alex looked at his friend as if she had lost her mind, partly because he wanted to distract her from this particular topic, partly because he really was concerned with her choice of words. "You - _You_, as in _Meredith_ _Grey_, are 'sensing' a 'vibe'? What happened while we were gone?"

She rolled her eyes and chose to ignore him, looking at Izzie instead for her answer.

The blonde proceeded to tell her the vague version of their holiday while helping with the dishes, leaving out many _many_ details, much to Alex's relief.

When they were done in the kitchen a few minutes later, Meredith put on her jacket.

"Ok guys, so I'm off," she explained as she gathered her things from the dresser and table. "I have to pick Derek up, his car's in the shop 'til tomorrow. We'll probably head out to the trailer afterwards. But I'll see you on Sunday, we could do lunch or something, ok? And maybe one of these days you can tell me the _real_ story of what happened in Miami." She winked and slammed the door shut on her way out.

--

As Alex and Izzie lay in bed that evening, completely beat from the long and rather eventful day, with his left arm wrapped around her body and her head on his chest, both individuals felt utterly content. They were way too tired to do anything but sleep at this point, but that didn't put a damper on the joyous feeling of being together at last.

Looking back to only two weeks ago, they realized that the Chief and his stupid rules had actually done them the biggest favor ever. They were both finally on the same page at the same time. That simple fact was worth more than any case or surgery they had failed to participate in could ever be. And with the thought on their minds that maybe they had missed out on some stuff at work but instead gained so much in all-important real life, they fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

--

_The end :( I think it would be fun to do a sequel to that, have them go back to work and stuff…but I guess I'll wait and see if there's any inspiration first ;) Anyways, this is me begging for a review one last time lol :) Thank you so much!_


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